A Study Session
by lanri
Summary: 5 times Jessica Moore didn't ask Sam Winchester out and 1 time she did.


1

Jess wiped grease off of her hands for the millionth time. When she'd agreed to work for the campus cafeteria in order to get a free meal plan, she hadn't imagined how much grease would be involved. She threw a couple more of the finished burger patties under the heater for students to pick up, making a face. The worst part of the gig was that at the end of the day, the last thing she wanted to do was use her meal plan to eat anything in the cafeteria. Only half an hour until her shift was over. Jess would be free . . . to go study bio. College sucked.

"Is the salad bar closed already?"

Jess rolled her eyes. "Read the sign, will you? It closes at eight. What you see is what you get."

"Right, sorry."

"It's fine." Jess focused on cutting the pizza without slicing her finger off like she nearly had last night. "Pizza and cheeseburgers. What every college student needs in life," she muttered.

She heard a chuckle and flushed, looking up. She hadn't known he was still there. The kid who'd spoken before was watching her bemusedly. He was tall, dark and floppy hair nearly covering warm hazel eyes. Jess became suddenly aware that she was sweaty, covered in grease, and hadn't put on makeup before her shift.

"Um, hi."

"Sorry." He ducked his head. "Didn't mean to, uh, take so long. I just usually get a salad, so . . ."

His seeming embarrassment made Jess relax a little. "No sweat. If I were you, I'd try the pasta. I added more sauce than they told me to, so it won't be dried out like it usually is."

Jess felt her heart flip as the guy looked up and smiled. Those dimples.

"Thanks for the tip."

"No problem." Jess tore her eyes away and tried to look like she was being productive instead of staring at him. When she glanced up again, the kid was gone. Jess told herself the slump of disappointment was from realizing she still had twenty minutes in her shift. She was at freaking Stanford, she didn't have time to go developing crushes on random fellow students.

"Yo, dude, you have, like, a turkey burger or something?"

Jess sighed, and returned to reality.

* * *

2

Tardiness was one of Jess' downfalls. Ever since high school, she'd struggled with being punctual in pretty much every situation. Late to class, late to work, late to dinner. When she got to college, she'd sworn that would change. She'd set a million alarms, speedwalked to class, did all that she could to make it on time.

One semester later, and look at her now. Jess winced as the door creaked open, a hundred heads swiveling to see who was late to psychology. Jess felt herself turning red and kept her eyes on the floor, barely raising them enough to look for an empty seat.

"Here." The whisper was just loud enough for Jess to hear it, but not enough that it drew more attention.

Jess gratefully took a seat next to her savior, murmuring "thanks."

"No problem." The guy tilted his notebook towards her. "He just started."

Jess quickly pulled out her notebook and jotted down the notes he was showing her.

"I owe you," she whispered fervently. Glancing up, she narrowed her eyes. It'd gotten easy to mix people up; a bunch of people in class, the same people walking by pass heading to class around the same times, not to mention how many people in her dorm she'd pass. Jess had no clue why the guy looked familiar.

He was busy writing notes, and Jess rolled her eyes at herself. Late to class and she was still not paying attention.

Midway through the class, she realized that he was the guy who'd wanted salad.

She glanced sideways, trying to be discreet. Salad-guy's dimples were absent since he was focused on scribbling out notes. He had a cute nose, too.

Jess mentally slapped herself. Enough ogling, she had studying to do.

The next time she glanced over, though, Salad-guy was watching her. He flushed when she caught him ducking his head like he'd been taking notes the whole time. Jess smiled at her noteslike an idiot.

She was pretty sure that she missed that entire lecture. As class was dismissed and everyone around began to pack up and leave, she looked over again at salad-guy. He was distracted though. Weirdly tense as he scanned the crowd of students going out. Maybe a little agoraphobic? Jess opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it as he slung his backpack on and slipped away.

* * *

3

"Why did I go pre-med?" Jess moaned.

Brady patted her back. "Because you're crazy like the rest of us."

Her notes were swimming in front of her eyes. "Can I give up?"

Brady laughed. "What, and abandon me to the vicious professors? Would you do that to me?"

"No," Jess sighed, "But I want to."

"Actually."

Jess groaned. "When you start sentences with 'actually,' I know I'm in trouble."

Brady gave a winning grin. "Don't be like that. It's just that my roommate's as sick as a dog. And don't give me that look, I haven't abandoned him, it's just that there's this frat party tonight and-"

Jess scowled. "You want to get me sick instead of yourself."

"Something like that."

"What does he need?" Jess asked reluctantly.

"Mainly someone to check and make sure he hasn't died. Force some tylenol down his throat."

"Right." Jess closed up her textbook. "You owe me big time, Brady."

Brady hadn't lied. His roommate was curled up in a little ball on his bed, blankets piled on despite the room's warmth.

"Hello?" Jess said tentatively.

Without warning, the roommate jerked out of his doze, scrambling back in fear. Jess flinched at the violence of his movement, and felt something in her gut like fear. "I'm sorry, I should've knocked, but Brady gave me the key."

He looked at her blearily. "Dean?"

Jess blinked. Rumpled clothes and bed head aside, she recognized him. "Salad guy," she blurted out without thinking.

He looked dazedly at her. "Huh?" He looked unfocused and totally out of it.

"Never mind." Jess felt herself blushing and took a step forward. "I'm Brady's classmate, he sent me to check on you."

"He didn't need to do that." Salad guy looked completely embarrassed. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine." Jess took a few more steps towards him. "May I check your temperature?"

"I-I can check it." He fumbled for the thermometer at the bedside, managing to drop it on the floor in the process.

Jess swooped in, picking it off the floor and making a face. "Have you guys ever swept?"

"Not exactly." He coughed into his elbow. "Never had to think about it before." Jess eyed him uncertainly. Brady she got the vibe of spoiled only child, so she'd understand why he wouldn't be on top of cleaning, but this guy . . . belongings were sparse and clothes were threadbare. And the few things on his side of the room were scary neat. It didn't make sense.

He coughed again and Jess shook herself.

"Have you taken any meds?"

"Mm, no."

Jess dove into her purse, finding the little bottle of tylenol she always carried around. "Here. Take these."

He smiled, then and Jess' stomach did that funny turning thing she'd read about in novels. "Thanks."

"No problem," she managed. She went on autopilot for what her mom had done for her; got his temperature (too high), put a cool cloth on his forehead (no, she didn't leave her hand on his forehead for too long), and got him to drink some gatorade. After all of that, she sat there feeling a little helpless. The guy seemed to be fighting sleep.

"Do you want me to go?" she asked.

He blinked at her sleepily. "Can y'tell Dean to get me some jello?"

"Sure," Jess said. "Why don't you just sleep?"

"Okay."

The door opened and Brady tumbled in. "Hola, mi amigos."

Jess rolled her eyes. "Are you sober enough to help?"

"Of course!"

Jess sighed. "I need to get to bed, you make sure his brain doesn't melt, okay? I'm going to set your alarm clock for every hour until the morning."

"Man, you suck."

"I know." Jess glanced one more time at salad guy, reluctant to leave him.

"Go on, Jess, I've got him."

* * *

4

"So, uh, what's your roommate's name?"

Brady cast her an amused look. "Interested, are we?"

Jess couldn't control her flush. "So what if I am?"

"Hmm, I guess the sick and helpless tactic does work pretty well. His name's Sam Winchester. He's a bit antisocial, so it might take some work for you."

"So he isn't coming to that party you invited me to?"

Brady slowly smiled. "I could probably convince him. What will I get in exchange?"

"This." Jess flicked him between the eyes.

"Ow! Okay fine, I'll drag him out of the library."

Jess ignored the questions of her roommate as she got ready for Brady's party. She was bound and determined to ask him out for a date this time.

Brady had a little bit of the bad boy vibe going on, but he was still a classy guy. His party wasn't crazy. Just a small party at his parents' place, which Jess appreciated.

"Jess, looking gorgeous. Sure you don't want to go out with me?" Brady grinned at her winningly.

"As tempting as it is, I think I'll pass. Is, uh, is Sam here?"

"So subtle. Yeah, he's hiding in the kitchen."

"Right." Jess braced herself for disappointment and took a deep breath. Sam was fiddling with a bowl of chips on the counter.

"Hey there."

Sam whipped around. Jess noticed his hands were clenched into fists.

"Um, you okay?"

"Yeah, sorry. You surprised me."

"No problem." She hesitated.

He shifted a little, reaching out a hand. "I'm Sam."

"Hi. Jess. Um, we've met sort of. I came by when you were sick?"

He immediately looked awkward. "I was hoping that was a fever dream. I'm sorry you had to see me like that."

"It wasn't a problem."

They fell into a dead silence. Jess cast around desperately for something to talk about.

"Uh, what's your major?"

Kill her now. She had gone with the oft-repeated, horrible question that every single person had asked a million times.

"To be honest, I'm not sure. I've sort of taken a lot of general classes to get my feel for it," Sam answered. "You?"

"Pre-med. Severely regretting it, but that's how I know Brady."

For a second, they both stood uncertainly, neither of them sure what to say next.

Brady burst in. "Enough of this standing in corners! C'mon, beer pong, everyone."

"So unsanitary," Jess muttered, and got a laugh out of Sam for it. Sam at some point slipped away, leaving Jess to sulk. Maybe he wasn't attracted to her as well.

* * *

5

Jess woke up on Brady's couch.

"Oh no."

"Good morning." Sam was there, standing in front of her with a smile and coffee.

"Please don't look at me," Jess groaned. She felt gross and nasty and Sam was _right there._

"You saw me when I looked like crap. Felt like I should return the favor."

"Are you saying I look like crap?" Jess asked drily.

The tables turned as Sam flushed a bright red. "Oh no. I mean, that's not what I meant, I just-"

She snorted, unfiltered due to the early hour and slight hangover. "You are so cute when you blush."

He obviously didn't know what to do and Jess took pity. "Coffee?" she asked.

"Here."

"You're a lifesaver." She inhaled the rich aroma and smiled. "Black, huh?"

"You want sugar?"

"Nah, I'm a black coffee kind of girl when it's this early. Catch me after noon though, and you'll see me with every flavor and sugar additive in the world."

"I've never tried coffee like that."

Jess blinked. "Never?"

"No, we never had the money for-um, my dad only drank black coffee."

"I'll bring you some," Jess said. "For science."

He looked bemused. "Science?"

"You know. Experiment. With types of coffee."

Sam grinned a little, making Jess blush a little herself. She stood abruptly, feeling her rats' nest hair and day old clothes. "Um, I'm gonna go clean up."

"Okay. Take care."

It was only after she was back in her dorm that Jess realized she had missed the perfect opportunity to ask Sam out. They had been talking about coffee, for goodness sake. "Oh, would you like to go get some coffee with me?" Easiest line in the book.

Jess flopped onto her bed and slammed her face into her pillow. She hated herself sometimes.

* * *

1

Psych was supposed to be her easy course. Jess stared at the outline the professor had handed out for the upcoming midterm. Essay questions, knowledge of all the theories they had gone over so far, and no multiple choice.

"Kill me now," she muttered. "This is so bad."

"You okay?"

Her seat buddy had become the only reason Jess was on time to psychology. She grimaced at Sam. "Did you see this?"

He nodded. "What about it?"

"What about it? I am so screwed! I've been so focused on my science courses that I let this one slide and now I am going to fail and never become a doctor, and my dad will disown me, and-"

"Whoa whoa whoa, hey, Jess, breathe. Breathe, that's it." A large warm hand was on her back and Jess shivered a little. "It's gonna be okay."

"Would you tutor me?"

It was so sad. It was the saddest way to get a guy to go out with her. It wasn't even going out it was a freaking study session, Jess was pathetic.

Sam looked . . . ecstatic. "I'd love to!" He didn't monitor his voice enough and it carried over the low murmuring of the few minutes prior to class. Sam ducked his head, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean, uh, it'd be great to spend more time. Um. With you."

Jess felt warm all over. "You want to grab some coffee after class? We can compare schedules, and I owe you a fancy frappucino."

Those stupid dimples. "Sounds great."

The class started so they couldn't talk anymore.

Jess smiled.

* * *

A/N: Sooooo I have no excuses. I haven't written anything in months it's been so bad. Does this even count? IDEK. This sorry excuse for fic is mainly because I have really wanted to do a bigger fic with Jess but I've made her a bit of a Mary Sue the other times I've tried, and so I tried her out in a short one for practice. So sorry for the long absence, and I don't have a promise for more, but I can promise I will try. Let me know what you think!


End file.
